DELAGE12-Z – year 1925

Delage Cars, Courbevoie, His, France.

W 1925 r. the era of mechanics sitting in a car during races ends. From then on, the competitor was entirely on his own. He no longer had a helper refilling oil, setting the ignition while driving and burning your fingers when removing minor engine defects. This year, a new Grand Prix race has arrived at the Spa circuit in Belgium, honored with the title of the European Grand Prix. The biggest favorites of this competition were the Alfa Romeo and Delage cars.

Delage introduced twelve-cylinder engines to racing cars. They were used for the first time with success in Lyon in 1924 year, when Delage cars took second and third place. They were equipped with V-engines of the M design. planchona, reaching power 85,3 kW (116 KM) by 6200 RPM.

In accordance with the two-liter formula in force, Delage has equipped its technically complex twelve-cylinder engines with a capacity of 1992 cm3 with two Roots compressors. As a result, an increase in the power of z 85,3 kW (116 KM) do 128,7-139,7 kW (175-190 KM) by 6800 RPM. The cylinder blocks, arranged in a manner typical for V-engines, had two camshafts in their heads, driven by gears from the crankshaft.. The valves were at an angle of 100 ° apart from each other. The crankshaft was arranged in seven rolling bearings. Each cylinder block was equipped with two carburetors and one high-voltage magneto. The drive torque was transferred to the differential through a multi-disc clutch and a four-speed gearbox, located in the rigid rear bridge. A car with a weight 1070 kg reached the top speed 210 km/h.

Delage cars were unsuccessful at the Belgian Grand Prix due to a valve defect and gave priority to Alfa Romeo. However, at the ACF Grand Prix at the new track in Montlhery, they proved their high class by taking the first two places. The first car was driven by a pair of competitors Robert Benoist – Albert Divo a w drugim Lois Wagner – Torchy. A change of driver was allowed on journeys longer than 700 km and in races lasting approx 5 hours. An Alfa Romeo driver was killed in this competition – Antonio Ascari.

Delage cars took an even more decisive victory in the Spanish Grand Prix races, taking the first three places: Albert Divo (123,46 km/h), Robert Benoist i Rene Thomas.